The Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch, Retina Display (2014) ($1,299, as tested) is the newest base model in the line, with a 2,560-by-1,600-resolution screen, speedy Intel processor, and excellent connectivity, particularly with its pair of 20Gbps Thunderbolt 2 ports. It lasted more than 13 hours on our battery rundown test while topping our performance benchmark tests. These improvements help the latest 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro replace the previous version as our Editors' Choice for high-end ultraportable laptops.

Design and Features Design-wise, if you've seen one 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display, you've seen them all. This year's iteration has the same, familiar all-aluminum exterior and glossy glass covering the 13.3-inch In-Plane Switching (IPS) screen. It still measures 0.71 by 12.35 by 8.62 inches (HWD) and weighs 3.38 pounds.

The high-contrast keys are visible in both bright light and in a totally darkened room, thanks to efficient backlighting. The keyboard feel is very good, with convex keys and solid springs to help ensure that any typos are your own fault. The glass-covered trackpad supports one-, two- and three-finger multitouch gestures, and you can connect most Bluetooth keyboards, mice, and external trackpads to the system in seconds.

The Retina Display has a 2,560-by-1,600 resolution, which translates into a 16:10 aspect ratio. In comparison, the Acer Aspire S7-392-5410's 1,920-by-1,080-resolution display and the Toshiba Kirabook 13 i7s Touch's 2,560-by-1,440-resolution screen both have a 16:9 aspect ratio. The extra pixels can give photo, video, or spreadsheet editors the ability to clearly display images that would overwhelm a screen with a lower resolution. Note that your experience may vary, as apps that haven't been updated for the Retina Display may show blockier text and images. In any case, OS X automatically scales items on the screen by default to make some windows show up in approximately 1,280 by 800, which is a good thing. If it were displaying at true 1-to-1 pixel all the time, then icons, menu items, and text would look tiny.

About the Author

Joel Santo Domingo is the Lead Analyst for the Desktops team at PC Magazine Labs. He joined PC Magazine in 2000, after 7 years of IT work for companies large and small. His background includes managing mobile, desktop and network infrastructure on both the Macintosh and Windows platforms. Joel is proof that you can escape the retail grind: he wore a yellow polo shirt early in his tech career. Along the way Joel earned a BA in English Literature and an MBA in Information Technology from Rutgers University. He is responsible for overseeing PC Labs testing, as well as formulating new test methodologies for the PC Hardware team. Along with ... See Full Bio